Static Electric Toy

ABSTRACT

A toy comprising foam material that easily generates static electricity, giving the toy the ability to adhere to or repel from a user&#39;s body or nearby objects. The toy, in a recognizable form, will provide amusement when affixed to people&#39;s bodies or objects in their surroundings.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

Static cling toys can be used as a source of entertainment andamusement. This invention relates to a static cling toy that may provideamusement by being used in a prank on individuals. This static cling toycan also amuse users as it may be formed in fanciful shapes and adheredto an individual's body or onto nearby objects. Furthermore, this staticcling toy can provide amusement as it may be in the form of a game orpuzzle piece and played on objects beyond the conventional surface(e.g., table, floor, board).

2. Discussion of Related Art

Static electric toys have been used in the art, however, there aresignificant differences between the present invention and what isalready known. Though there are references that use static electricityfor toys, and more specifically static electricity for toy adherence,the claimed invention fundamentally diverges from these references; forexample it produces a distinctive result. Among other things, the staticelectric charge causes the toy to adhere to a person's body or an objectwith the ability to be displaced rather than fixedly adhere to limitedstatic cling materials, as disclosed in Pat. Pub. No. 2003/0009921,nylon, as disclosed in Pat. Pub. No. 2004/0115384, or clean, flatsurfaces, such as window decals. Additionally, unlike the presentlyclaimed invention, the toys in these references are not rubbed togenerate a static electric charge. In other references, where the toymay be stroked to generate a static electric charge, the charge causesthe toy to move (in a wiggling motion) rather than adhere, as disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,947 and Pat. Pub. No. 2004/0115384.

Generally, references relating to static electricity, particularlyobjects adhering to people or clothing due to static electricity, teachaway from the invention. Typically, when considering the relationshipbetween static electricity and a person or clothing, the rationale is toprevent or stop the static cling effect from occurring, as disclosed inAnti-static Agents, U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,481, and Anti-static FabricSoftening Compositions, U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,595. As shown in variousembodiments, the claimed invention works conversely to this commonrationale.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a toy capable ofadhering to a person's body or to an object by way of static electriccharge. The toy includes materials having an affinity for accepting astatic electric charge which enables the toy to adhere to a person'sbody or to objects.

In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a method ofadhering the toy to a person's body or to an object by way of staticelectric charge. When the toy is rubbed against a conducting surface, astatic electric charge is generated. After the static electric charge isgenerated, when the toy is put in contact with a person's body or anobject, adhesion to the person's body or to the object may result.

In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a method ofrepelling a toy from a person's body or to an object by way of staticelectric charge. When the toy is rubbed against a conducting surface, astatic electric charge is generated. After the static electric charge isgenerated, when the toy is put in contact with a person's body or anobject, repelling from the person's body or to the object may result.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The various embodiments of the invention may be described with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is the top view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is the bottom view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a profile view of one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

All references discussed in the present disclosure are herebyincorporated by reference. In the event of a conflict between anydefinitions in the references and the present disclosure, the presentdisclosure controls.

As used throughout this disclosure, the term “toy” refers to an itemthat provides amusement. In certain embodiments, the toy can provideamusement when used to play a prank. For example, the toy can be used toplay a prank by an individual (Person A) adhering it to an unknowingperson's body (Person B). Used herein the term “person's body” mayinclude, but is not limited to, human skin, hair, or clothing. The prankis particularly amusing because the toy may be in a recognizable formthat can frighten or displease a person when found on or nearby. In thisexample, the toy that Person A is using is in the recognizable form of aspider. Used herein the term “recognizable form” is when the toy can beidentified by an individual as a particular shape or thing. Otherexamples of recognizable forms may be, but are not limited to, aninsect, a pet animal, a puzzle piece, a moustache, or a booger.

In certain embodiments, the toy is then touched to a conducting surfaceto generate static electric charge. In an exemplary prank, Person A rubsthe toy spider against his wool sweater. Used herein the term “touching”refers to putting the toy in immediate proximity with a conductingsurface resulting in the toy gaining or losing electrons. Examples oftouching include, but are not limited to, rubbing the toy againstsomeone's hair or placing the toy to a plasma globe machine. Used hereinthe term “conducting surfaces” means materials that have a tendency togive up or accept electrons, thereby allowing the toy to become staticelectrically charged. Some examples of conducting surfaces are, but arenot limited to human hair, acrylic, leather, or fur.

After Person A rubs the toy on the conducting surface, he then contactsthe toy to Person B's arm. Used herein the term “contacting” is themeans by which the toy is placed on the person's body or object itadheres to, or in certain embodiments, is repelled from. Contacting caninclude, but is not limited to dropping the toy, throwing the toy, orplacing the toy onto person or object. In certain embodiments of thepresent invention, once contact is made, the toy will adhere to PersonB's arm without the application of additional force. Used herein theterm “adhere” is the result of the giving off and accepting of electronsbetween the toy and a person's body or objects. Used herein the term“additional force” is any external stimuli applied to the toy beyondstatic electric charge. This can include, but is not limited to,adhesives, magnets, pressure by a person's hand or body, paper clips,staples, or safety pins.

In certain embodiments, the prank comes to fruition when Person Bdiscovers the toy adhered to his arm and makes regular efforts to removethe toy. Used herein the term “regular efforts of removal” aredeliberate attempts made by an individual to take the toy off or detachthe toy from the his/her body or from the object. Examples of regularefforts of removal include but are not limited to the individualshaking, swatting, blowing, or brushing the toy. In certain embodiments,the toy will not only resist regular efforts of removal, but may also bedisplaced during these efforts of removal. In one example, Person Battempts to remove the toy from their body by shaking their arm. The toythen displaces itself from Person B's arm to Person B's pant leg. Usedherein the term “displace” is the relocation of the toy from one pointon a person's body or on an object to different point on the sameperson's body or the same object or onto a different person's body or adifferent object. In another scenario, a third individual (Person C) mayattempt to swat the toy off of Person B and the toy then displacesitself onto Person C's hand. In another example, the toy can be placedon a nearby object to startle Person B. Used herein the term “object”may be any item in a person's surrounding that has a weaker, neutral oropposite electrical charge than the toy's static electric charge.Examples of objects include but are not limited to cups, chairs, or thewall.

In other embodiments, the toy will repel from certain items. Used hereinthe term “repel,” is the result of the static electrically charged toyand the certain item having like charges. Used herein, “like charges”refers to the polarity, not the degree, of the charges. In certainembodiments, the charged toy will repel from certain items that have alike charge. Used herein the term “certain items” may be any item in aperson's surrounding that has, at least in part, a like charge as thetoy's electric charge. An example of certain items include, but is notlimited to, an additional toy of the same type described in thisdisclosure.

The toy being used to play a prank is only one of many ways that it canprovide amusement. In certain embodiments, the toy may be formed infanciful shapes and adhered to an individual's body or onto nearbyobjects. For example, the toy may be in the form of a monkey and placedon a user's shoulder like a pet. In other embodiments, the toy may be inthe form of a game or puzzle piece and played on objects beyond theconventional surface (e.g., table, floor, board). For example, the toymay be in the form of puzzle pieces and could be assembled on the sideof a fabric couch.

Turning now to the figures, with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the toymay be made in part or completely of foam. The foam may be comprised ofbut not limited to: Polyurethane, Styrene (Polystyrene, (ExpandedPolystyrene, Extruded Polystyrene)), Polyolefin foams (Polyethylene,Polypropylene), Vinyl foams, Neoprene, Silicone Foams, Polyvinylchloride, Ethyl-vinyl acetate, or a combination thereof.

In this embodiment, the FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 show the toy in the form of awater bug. The toy has a body 100, which may adhere to a person or item.The toy also has legs 102 which may be separate pieces attached to thebody or molded as a single piece with the body. The legs may produceadditional surface area for adhesion. In different embodiments, the bodyand legs may be in full or partial contact with a person or item. A pairof eyes 104 can be painted on the body or be separate pieces attached tothe body. Any part of the toy, or the toy as a whole, can be painted onor aesthetically modified to more realistically resemble the desiredrecognizable form.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described by meansof specific embodiments and alternatives, it is to be understood thatnumerous changes and modifications can be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it should beunderstood that the invention is not to be limited in any way except inaccordance with the appended claims and their equivalents.

I claim:
 1. A toy comprising: material having an affinity for acceptinga static electric charge which, when rubbed against a conductingsurface, generates static electric charge capable of adhering said toyto a person's body or an object.
 2. The toy of claim 1, wherein saidmaterial comprises foam.
 3. The toy of claim 1, wherein said toy may bein a recognizable form.
 4. The toy of claim 1, wherein said toy mayrepel from certain items.
 5. A method of adhering a toy to a person'sbody or an object with static electric charge, comprising the steps of:(i) touching said toy to a conducting surface to generate excess staticelectric charge; and (ii) contacting said toy with a person's body or anobject.
 6. The method as in claim 5, wherein said material comprisesfoam.
 7. The method as in claim 5, wherein following step (ii), said toyadheres to said person or said object without application of additionalforce.
 8. The method as in claim 5, wherein following step (ii),adhesion of said toy resists regular efforts of removal.
 9. The methodas in claim 5, wherein following step (ii), regular efforts of removalmay displace said toy to a different location on said person's body orsaid object or to a different person's body or a different object.
 10. Amethod of adhering a toy to a person's body or an object or repelling atoy from certain items, comprising the steps of: (i) touching said toyto a conducting surface to generate an excess static electric charge;and (ii) contacting said toy with a person's body, with an object, orwith certain items.